On the hallowed pages of history, Mickelson embarks on a parallel quest -- seeking to bump Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen or Tom Watson off the list of the 10 greatest golfers of all-time.

This is a subjective and unscientific exercise, naturally, but Mickelson's attempt to complete the career Grand Slam lifts the game's past into prominence at Pinehurst. He can polish his legacy by winning the only major missing from his resume.

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Our call: Mickelson doesn't belong in the top 10 now, but he would force his way onto the list with a U.S. Open victory.

Majors shape a player's legacy, because they are held on the most difficult courses against the strongest competition. And nothing resonates louder than the career Grand Slam, because it reflects success on all of the game's biggest stages (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship).

The question of whether Mickelson deserves a spot provoked wide-ranging responses on two conference calls last week with Open broadcasters. ESPN's Paul Azinger put him in the top 10 with little hesitation. NBC's Johnny Miller compared Mickelson's career to Ernie Els' and stopped there.

"I wouldn't put Phil in the top 10 of all-time -- that's the Holy Grail," Chamblee said. "If he won the Open, and became one of six players with the career Grand Slam, then you've got an argument. But that's a big if, and the question is who you move out."

Mickelson arrives at Pinehurst with 42 career victories (including five majors) on the PGA Tour, ninth all-time; he's one of 19 players to win five or more majors. He's obviously a great player, but he still doesn't make this version of the game's Holy Grail.

1. Nicklaus (73 wins, 18 majors): Not exactly a tough call. Nicklaus dominated in an era of numerous elite players, from Player and Arnold Palmer to Tom Watson and Lee Trevino. Much like the next man on this list, Nicklaus always seemed to put himself in the hunt at majors (19 second-place finishes).

2. Woods (79 wins, 14 majors): His body is betraying him, but Woods still has time to pass Sam Snead for most all-time wins. The only way he becomes No. 1 in this debate is by catching Nicklaus in majors. And that's not happening.

3. Hogan (64 wins, nine majors): He's the most mythical figure in the game's history, a stoic Texan who reached the summit, nearly died in a car accident and then returned to dominance. Just imagine Hogan, in his prime, playing alongside Nicklaus and Woods in theirs. Wow.

4. Snead (82 wins, seven majors): Snead, much like Mickelson to this point, couldn't conquer his country's national championship -- and it haunted him for the rest of his life. But he won every other major at least once, with a swing practically revered by his peers.

5. Player (24 wins, nine majors): Player's win total is misleading, because he traveled the globe playing (and often winning) tournaments beyond the PGA Tour. His nine major titles are tied for fourth all-time, and the career Slam elevates him.

6. Palmer (62 wins, seven majors): He might be the most significant player ever, given the way he popularized golf among the masses. Palmer needed only a PGA Championship victory for the career Slam, but he never got it.

7. Byron Nelson (52 wins, five majors): Nelson might rise to third or fourth all-time if he hadn't retired so young. His single-season record of 18 wins in 1945 brings special cachet.

8. Sarazen (39 wins, seven majors): If Mickelson eventually finds his way onto the list, this is his ceiling. Sarazen collected similar numbers -- three fewer wins overall, two more majors -- but finished off the career Slam.

9. Hagen (45 wins, 11 majors): Hagen won every major but the Masters, in part because that tournament didn't exist until 1934, when Hagen was already 41. Only two players, Nicklaus and Woods, have won more majors.

10. Tom Watson (39 wins, eight majors): His career gains luster when you remember how often he handled Nicklaus, including the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and their storied British Open "Duel in the Sun" at Turnberry in 1977.